Data stored in computerized data storage devices, or volumes, is often encrypted for security purposes, privacy concerns, and data loss prevention. Additionally, in some cases, government regulations may require that certain types of data be encrypted. For example, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of the United States requires that patients' records be encrypted. It is desirable in such situations, therefore, to be able to detect whether data is encrypted or not in order to be sure of compliance with such government regulations.
Current solutions for determining whether or not data is encrypted are typically product-specific. In other words, the specific product used to do the encryption must be known in order to determine the encryption state of any data. For example, some encryption products maintain a table or database with entries therein that specifically indicate whether data is encrypted or unencrypted. The method of indicating the encryption state of data must be known in order to determine from the table or database whether any particular data is encrypted or not. In some cases, custom code or product maps setting forth all known encryption products may need to be maintained in order to detect whether a particular computer device has any of these encryption products installed therein. Additionally, updates for any new encryption products introduced to the market have to be taken into account as soon as the new product is introduced in order to ensure that the custom code or product maps are always current.
The ability for an IT (information technology) administrator within a business enterprise to detect whether data is encrypted, therefore, may have to be very elaborate, complicated, and costly in order to take into consideration all of the possible encryption products and methods of encryption that may be used on all of the different computer devices within the enterprise. Additionally, maintaining this ability in the face of ever-changing numbers and types of available encryption products may be time consuming and expensive. Also, outside vendors, contractors, or temporary consultants may use their own computer devices with encryption products or techniques that are unknown to the IT administrator.